Gluing and folding machine for flexible boxes.



No. 890,464. 7 PATENTED .TUNE 9, 1908.

E. G. STAUDE.

GLUINGAND FOLDING MACHINE'EOR FLEXIBLE BOXES.

APPLIOATIQN FILED FEB. z3, 1905.

. Y 4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No. 890,464. PATENTED JUNE 9, 1908.

. E. G. S'IAUDE. GLUING AND FOLDING MACHINE POR FLEXIBLE BOXES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.23, 1905.

` 4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

OO le No. 890,464. I' PATENTED JUNE 9, 1908.

' E. G. STAUDE.

GLUING AND FOLDING MACHINE EUR FLEXIBLE BOXES.

. AAPPLICATION FILED 11313.23, 1905.

4 SHEETS-SHEET s.

No. 8190.464. I PATENTED .TUNE 9, 1908.

E. G. STA-UDB.

APPLIOATION'PI'LED 212.23, 1905.

\ 4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

EDWIN G. STAUDELOF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

i GLUING AND FOLDING MACHINE FOR FLEXIBLE BOXES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 9, v1908.

Application led February 23, 1905. Serial No. 246,840.

To all whom it may concer/nf: Be it known that I, EDWIN G. STAUDE, ofMinneapolis, Hennepin county, Minnesota, have invented certain new anduseful Imrovements in Gluing and Folding Machines vor Flexi-ble Boxes,of which the following Vis a specification.

The object of my invention is to provdie a machine wherein the shells orblanks for an size of flexible box can be glued and folde v whereby onemachine iscapable of turning. out boxes of different size for use inacking various kinds of manufactured artic es particularly cerealroducts.

A further object is to provide a machine little floor space, andespecially adapted for part of this speci cation, Figure 1 is a lon ifactories ,where the machinery is crowded together and economy in theuse of space is essential.

The invention consists generally 'in providing a gluing and foldingmachine wherein the feed mechanism, the device for ap lying the glue,the folding and packing evices are all laterally adjustable to permitthem to be moved toward or from each other and adapted for handlingblanks or shells of different size.

Further, the invention consists in improved folding devices that bearcontinuously on the sides of the blank during the folding operation.

Further, the invention consists in imroved means for discharging thefolded lanks.

In the accom anying drawings forming ,Y tudinal vertical section of agluing and fo d- 1 end ofthe mac line.

. 2 1s a plan View ofthe same.

ing machine embodying umy invention. Fig. Fig. 3 is a sectional view onthe line .ia-.1' ol' Fig. 2-looking toward the acking devices at therear Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are fra mentary sectional views illustrating thefolds in the successive steps in the operation of folding the blank.Fig. 7 is a sectional view on t e line y--y of Fig. 2. Figs. 8 and 9 aredetail sectional views illustrating the mechanism for operating thefolders and feeding the' blanks thereto.

In. the drawings, 2 represents a suitable frame upon which the operatingmechanism of the machine is mounted.

3 are brackets provided at the receiving end of the machine and formingguides for bars 4 that slide in and out on the inner edges of saidbrackets, and are connected by a cross bar 5 having a longitudinal slot6. A series of arms 7 are mounted on the bar 5 and have longitudinalslots 8 to receive bolts 9 that pass4 down through said slots and theone in said bar 5 and allow both longitudinal and lateral adjustment ofthe arms 7 to ada t them for the different size blanks or shells that itis desired to feed into the machine. `The forward ends of the armsproject under the package of blanks asv it lies in the hopper, the uppersurfaces of said ends being preferably inclined slightly, as indicatedin Fig. 1, and provided with feed plates 10 whose forward edges engagethe outer edge of the bottom blank and advance it into the machine. Thepackagesof blanks rest at their outer edges upon the arms 7, and attheir inner edges are supported on the arms l l1 that project jhorizontally parallel with the side adjustable wall 12 of the hopper to#ward the outer wall 13 that is mounted on bars 14 adjustable on vthebrackets 3 by means of slots 15 and bolts 16. By loosening the bolts 16the outer Wall of the hopper cali be readily adjusted back and forth tosuit the size of the blanks. The arms 11 are adjustably secured on across bar 11 having a .longitudinal slot 11 which permits the width ofthe hopper to be increased or decreased according to the size of the boxblanks. I also prefer to provide brackets 1,7 on the wall 13 havinglongitudinal slots 18 and thumb nuts 19 to permit the adjustment of saidbrackets toward or from the package of blanks. narrow slot oropening 2Ois provided beneath the rear wall, and blocks 21 vertically adjustableby means of a screw 22 are rovided to increase or decrease thes widt ofthe slot accordingto the thickness of the stock and prevent more thanone blank from being fed forward at a, time.

Cross bars 23 are preferably arranged near the inner side of the hopperto which the adjustable Walls 12 are secured and on which the blocks 21are supported.

To impart a reciprocating movement to the feed device a shaft 24 ismounted in the machine frame having an arm 25. connected by a link 26with the cross bar 5, One end of the shaft 24 is connected by a rod 27with .a crank shaft 28 mounted on the machine frame and provided with adriving pulley 29. Bell cranks 30 are pivoted on the machine frame at31, and have arms 32 provided With bearings for a shaft 33. The otherarms 34 of the bell cranks are provided with rods 35 sliding in guides36 on the machine frame between which and the ends of said rods coilsprings 38 are arranged whose tension normally tends to depress theshaft 33 and hold its pulley 39 carryingy a cord belt 40 down upon theupper surface of the blank. A shaft 33 and its pulley are -driven fromthe driving shaft 28 through gears 41 and 42. A yoke 43 is looselymounted on the shaft 33 and carries an idle wheel 44 that is normallyheld in a depressed position by a spring 45. A pulley 46 is mounted onthe shaft 28 beneath the pulley 39, and a belt 47 is carried by saidpulley 46 and extends to a pulley 48 mounted at the delivery end of themachine upon a shaft 49. The blankspass between the belt 47 and the cord40 and are fed forward by frictional contact with said belt and cord. 1also provide pulleys 50 upon each side of the pulley 46 connected bycords 51 with idle pulleys 52 arranged in advance of the s iral packersor discharging devices, as will) hereinafter appear. These pulleys 50are adjustable back and forth on the shaft 28 to adapt them for feedingblanks of different size. Bars 52 are secured to the cross bars 23 andextend horizontally above the cords- 51 to hold the middle portion ofthe blanks thereon and prevent slipping, and initial folders 53'aremounted on a cross rod 54 and have turned up inner ends 55 that areadapted to engage the sides of the blank and raise the same sufficientlyto be engaged by the revolving folders, as will hereinafter appear. Theblanks after leaving the`hopper pass below the bars 52 and are heldthereby upon the feed cords, but pass above the initial folders 53 whoseends 55 engage and lift up the edges of the blank.

Adjustably mounted on the shaft 28 is a disk 56 operating in a gluereceptacle 57 and adapted to smear the edge of each blank with glue asit passes to the folders. The glue receptacle is of sufficient size toallow' a consid erable range of adjustment of the glue wheel' or disk.The shaft 28 is provided with lgears 58 adjustable thereon to increaseor decrease the distance between the folding mechanism and meshing withgears 59' on shafts 60 that have adjustable bearings 61 on the rodI 54.

These shafts 60 extend to the rear end of the machine and have bearingsin yokes 62 that are. laterally adjustable in longitudinal slots 63provided in cross bars 64 on the machine frame. Near the forward ends ofthe shafts 60 gears 65 and 66 are secured meshing with similar gears 67and 68 on vertical studs 69 and `70 that revolve in arms 71 and 72 thatproject horizontally from the yokes 62.

pon these studs 69 and 70 I provide hubs 73 and 74 carrying wings 75 and76 that are spirally arranged, but extend only partially around the hubsand are ada ted to engage the sides of the blank and old them over uponthe middle portion keeping during the folding operation 1n continuouscontact with the blank and without retarding its continuous, ra idmovement in any way.r The tops of the iubs are rounded, as indicated inlig. 1, to allow the blanks to sli easily over them. A bar 77 isprovided mi way between the revolving folders over which the belt 47passes, and the blanks, as indicated in figs. 4, 5 and 6, are held downupon the belt 47 and the feed cords by the pressure of the bars 52.These revolving folders are very much quicker in their action than thecurved rods usually employed, and in addition take up less space inthemachine and have greater efficiency.

By means of the adjusting mechanism heretofore described, the distancebetween the pairs of revolving folders can be increased or decreasedaccording to the size of the box blanks. After leaving the revolvingfolders the blank passes beneath a shaft 78 carrying ressure wheels 79that bear on the folding edges of the blank and press the glued edgedown with suiiicient force'to cause it to adhere to the `contiguous one.

The shaft 78 lis preferably operated through a chain belt 80 from thedriving shaft 33. After leaving the pressure wheels 79 the blanks passinto s irals 81 and 82 arranged in airs and a apted to feed the blanksvertically into the space between the upright standards or bars 83 and84 that act as hopper walls to hold the package of blanks 1n place'untilthey are removed from themachine. The bars 83 are mounted on slottedplates 85 that are adjustable in the slot 63 to permit the bars to beset in different osi'tions according to the size of the box blan s. Thespirals 81 and 82 are provided at their lower ends with gears 86 meshingwith'similar gears 87^on the shafts 60, and are timed to be driven atthe same speed as the revolving folders.

The o eration ofthe machine is as follows: The fee( hopper having beenadjusted to the roper size for the box blanks that are to be ed into themachine, the feed mechanism is set in motion and the feed arms 7engaging the edge of the bottom blank will advance it carried along tothe revolvingfolders, its

edges having been lifted by the action' of the initial folders to allowthe spirals or webs of the revolving folders to pass beneath them. Asthe blank advances between the revolving folders its edges will beressed over upon the middle portion, the fol ing actionbeing continuousand uninterrupted and without any reduction in the s eed of therevolving blank. One edge of the lank having been smeared with gluebefore it reaches the revolving folders, the pressure of the Wheels onthe dise charge side of said folders will cause the edges of the blankto adhere together and com lete the shell or box. From the pressure Weels the blank passes to the spirals and is elevated to the ho` per-likespace above.

It will e noted that there are a number of distinct advantages to bederived from ,the use of this machine. All parts are adjustable so thatit can be readily folding blanks of different size. t is not necessaryto have a machine for making every size of box. It is very compact andoccu ies but very little Hoor space, and is pecu iarly ada ted forfactories or 'shops where the mac inery is crowded and space valuable.It has -a large capacity, as the blanks only have to travel acomparatively short distance and are not interrupted in their travel bythe folding operation.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination, with avframe, of means for feeding flexible boxblanks therein, preliminary folders for raising the edges of the blanks,and revolving folders havmg spirally arranged webs so disposed that thehighest part of the spiralin respect to the plane in which the blank isto be folded will first engage the blank and the lower portions of thespiral will be caused to progressively engage the blank to fold it,substantially as described.

2. rIhe combination, with a suitable frame, of means for feedingflexible box blanks7 and vertical folders having s irally arranged webspositioned to enga e t e lower faces of the blanks and progressivelyfold them over upon the middle portions thereof, substant1ally asdescribed.

3. In a machine for making flexible boxes, a vertical folder having aspirally arranged web positioned thereon to engage the lower face of ablank and progressively fold the side of the blank, for the purposespecified.

4. In a machine for making flexible boxes, folders arranged in pairs andbetween which the blank passes, said folders being provided withspirally arranged Webs'those on the initial folders being shorter thanthe webs on the succeeding folders, substantially as described.

5. In a machine for making flexible boxes, the combination, with aframe, of the feed belts or cords therein, folders operating upon ism,the spiral webs of the folders being 1 ada ted for each side of saidbelts and havin spirally arranged webs, and means for ho ding the middleportion of. the blank down upon said belts, substantially as described.

6. In a machine for making flexible boxes, a feed mechanism, spirallywebbed folders provided upon each side of said feed mechanso disposedwith respect to the plane in w ich the blank is -to be folded that thehighestpart of the spiral in respect to said plane will first engage theblank and the lower portions of the spiral will be caused to roressively engage the blank to fold it, and)sa1d folders and said feedmechanism being ad`ustable laterally to accommodate them toblanks ofdiHerent size, substantially as described.

7. In a machine for making flexible boxes, revolving vertically arrangedwebbed folders, the spiral'webs of the folders being so disposed withrespect to the plane in which the blank is to be folded that the highestpart of the spiral in respect to said plane vwill first engage the blankand the lower portions of the spiral willl be caused to progressivelyengage the blank to fold it, and means for adjusting them toward o rfrom each other, for the purpose specified.

8. In a machine for making flexible boxes, revolving vertically arrangedfolders provided With spirally arranged webs so disposed that thehighest part of the spiral in respect to the plane in which the blank isto to be folded will first engage the blank and the lower portions ofthe spiral will be caused to progressively engage the blank Vto fold it,and|said folders being adjustable toward or from each other. s

9. In a machine for making flexible boxes, revolving verticallylarranged folders and means for feeding the blanks between them, ofupright elevating spirals whereto the blanks are delivered horizontallyfrom said folders, substantially as described.

10. In a machine for making flexible boxes, revolving verticallyarranged folders provided with spirally arranged webs so disposed thatthe highest part of the spiral' in respect to the plane in which'theblank is to be folded will first engage the blank and the lower portionsof the spiral will be caused to progressively engage the blank to foldit, means for feeding the blank between said folders, and blanks aredehvered after leaving said folders.

11. In a machine for making flexible ressure wheels whereto the eredhorizontally from said folding devices,

and said folding devices and said spirals being adjustablehorizontallyto adapt them for blanks of different size.

12. ,In a machine for 'making flexible boxes, verticall arranged spiralsWhereto the blanks are cfelivered and elevated out of the machine, andmechanism for delivering the blanks horizontally to said spirals.

13. In a machine for maklng flexible boxes, vertical folders providedwith spirally arranged webs, and a feed device operating between themthere being two airs of said folders the webs of the initia pair beinOshorter than those of the succeeding pair and the webs of both airsremaining in contact with the sides of tfie blank continuously as itpasses between them, substantially as described.

14. In a machine for making flexible boxes, a blank feeding mechanism,folders arranged oneach side of said mechanism and rotatable in thedirection of travel of the blank, and means to rotate the folders in thedirection of travel of the blank' to fold the same withoutI checking itsspeed as it asses between them, for the pur ose speci ed.

15. The combination, wit means for feeding a box blank, of foldershaving a continuous revolving engagement with the blank in the directionof travel of the blank, and means for revolving the folders in thedirection of travel of the blank whereby the blank is folded withoutchecking its speed, substantially as described.

16. In a machine for making fiexible boxes, a folder having a roundedend and a spirally arranged web, for the purpose speci- 17. In a machinefor making .flexible boxes, a vertically revolving folder having arounded upper end and a peripheral web.

18. In a .machine for making flexible boxes, a feed device, incombination with vertical revolving folders having peripheral webs sodisposed that the highest part of the spiral in respect to the plane inwhich the blank is to be folded will first engage the blank and thelower portions of the spiral will be caused to pro i ressively engagethe blank to fold it.

19. n a machine for making flexible boxes, a feed device, in combinationwith revolving folders having peripheral webs so dis-A posed that thehighest art of the spiral in respect to the lane in w ich the blank isto be folded will rst engage the blank and the lower portions of thespiral will be caused to progressively engage the blank to fold it.

20.' In a machine for making exible boxes, a feed device, revolvingfolders arranged in pairs upon each side of said feed' delb ank is tovice and provided with peripheral webs, positioned to`bear'against theunderside of the box blank for the urpose specified.

21. In a maciiine for making flexible boxes, a feed device, incombination with vertical revolving folders arranged .in pairs andhaving peripheral Webs, ositioned to bear against the underside of t ebox blank for the. urpose specified.

22. n a machine for making flexible boxes, vertical revolving foldersprovided with peripheral webs so disposed that the highest part of thespiral in respect to the pllane in which the blank is to be folded willrst engage the blank and the lower portions of the s iral will be causedto progressively engage t e blank to fold it.

23. In a machine for making iiexible boxes, revolvin folders havingperipheral webs so dispose that the highest part of the s iral inres ectto the lane in which the e folded will first' engage the blank and thelower portions of the s iral will be caused to rogressively en age theblank to fold it, an means for fee ing the blank between said folders.'

24. In a machine for making flexible boxes, a vertical revolving folderhaving a spiral web so disposed that the highest art o the spiral in resect to the lane in w ich the blank is to be fblded will rstengage theblank and the lower portions of the s iral will becaused toprogressively engage tfie blank to fold it.

25. In a machine for making flexible boxes7 revolving verticallyarranged spirals located in pairs,|- and positioned to bear against theunderside of the box blank and a feed mechanism operating between saidpairs of spirals to deliver the blanks horizontally thereto,substantially as described. l

26. In a machine for making iiexible boxes, revolving s irally webbedfolders so disposed that the hlghest part ofthe spiral in res ect to thelane in which the blank is to be olded will rst engage the blank and thelower portions ofthe spiral will be caused to progressivelyL enga e theblank to fold it, means for feeding t e blank, and presser deviceslocated near said folders.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 18th day of-February 1905.

- EDWIN G. STAUDE. Witnesses:

C. G. HANsoN, C. MACNAMARA.

